ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · fine · prune · coach · plane · bear · wake · fan

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fine — all right
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bear — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com